WAJIR—A 15-year old high school student was gang-raped by five men in the west of Wajir County mid this week.
According to police report seen by Kulan Post, the girl was sedated before she was raped.
The beastly act took place at Ademasajida, a location just over kilometer away from Habaswein.
The culprits were arraigned before Wajir court on Wednesday although one of the suspect is still at large after he managed to escape from police arrest.
“The girl lost her mother weeks ago due to illness. She was grieving and was heading home when the rapist approached, overpowered and sedated her,”a neighbour said.
We are informed that she was returning from the a nearby vegetable kiosk to buy groceries to prepare evening meals for her younger brothers.
The suspects are adult of sound mind, clearing the way for a full-blown prosecution at the Wajir law court where the matter will be mentioned on the 2nd of January.
People in Wajir County have called on the elders not to discuss and settle the matter under Maslaha system.
In Wajir, a consortium of non-profit groups and government agencies have come together to work against rape and the traditional Maslah system that denies justice to those affected.
“As the old men take time to deliberate on the issue, evidence is always destroyed and, by the time the police hear of it, there is usually not enough evidence to prosecute the suspect,” Rukia Abdullahi, the chair of the local chapter of a women’s organization called Maendeleo ya Wanawake, said.
According to the police in Wajir, last year a total of 16 rape cases and 21 defilement cases were reported. Out of those, nine cases were concluded and all were convicted and are serving sentences of over 15 years.
The girl is now under the care of her relatives while the victims remain remanded at the Wajir GK prison.
